The South Beach Diet Plan - How I Made it Through Phase 1

I love to eat! I guess thats why I hate dieting so much.

Most of those fad diets either totally restrict you from eating the foods you love (and crave), or they make you eat an overabundance of the foods that are well, not my favorite.

After all, how many eggs, peanuts or oranges can you really eat? I guess thats why I was so hesitant to follow my friends on the South Beach Diet bandwagon.

They were all trying it, and yes, even losing weight. I watched enviously as their waistlines got smaller and smaller, but couldnt get their groans and complaints out of my head during those first few days and weeks on the program.

Give up all sugar, carbs and fats for two whole weeks! Not me! No way! Not even for a smaller dress size.

Then I went to see my doctor for an unwell feeling I couldnt shake. I wasnt really sick, I just felt tired and icky all of the time. After some tests, he told me my glucose levels were rising, my cholesterol was hitting an all-time high, and even my blood pressure was boiling.

Me? Ms. Healthy? I knew it was time to get serious, so I asked around and did some research and actually found out that, in addition to being a diet, the South Beach plan was being used by people not only as a safe way to lose the weight that affects your health, but it also teaches you how to eat in a more nutritious and satisfying way.

Okay, time to give it a try. And the very first thing I ran up against youre probably heard about it -- was the dreaded Phase I of the South beach Diet Plan: the hell of restriction, as my friends like to cal it.

Luckily, I knew so many people whove been on the diet already, I could turn to them for assurance and advice.

By the way, thats Tip #1: Get a Support System in Place.

For me it made all the difference. I honestly dont know if I would have succeeded without the support of my friends. They shared their tips and stories of surviving the first 14 days on the program and made me feel like I could too. Here are some of my favorite survival tips:

Indulge in one last favorite meal and dessert before starting the diet
Get everything thats not allowed to touch your lips in the first 14 days out of the house and threaten anyone who dares to sneak in contraband foods
Keep a daily journal about your feelings during Phase I (its great to read how those cravings and yearnings really affected the way you think and feel after its all just a distant memory
Avoid mall shopping during Phase I (the smells of the food court will kill you)
Dont plan on attending any family gatherings, school functions, parties, etc. for two full weeks (become a hermit)

Ill admit it, during those first few days on South Beach all I wanted was to dive headfirst into a bag of chocolate chip cookies, dipped in whipped cream, with a side a fries and a big slice of pizza.

But when a friend came over and cooked me the most delicious meal of lean chicken and sauted veggies sprinkled with low-fat cheese (yes, I said cheese!), I knew that Id make it.

Thats Tip #2: Presentation.

The plate she set before me could have rivaled one found in any five-star restaurant. I learned that night that a beautifully prepared plate of colorful veggies cooked to perfection out beats a bag of Oreos 10 to 1.

Within a week my grumpiness was subsiding after all, my sugar levels were leveling out and my blood pressure was coming down and I wasnt even craving junky stuff anymore. I was actually looking forward to finding new ways to prepare and serve my new healthier food choices.

Which leads me to Tip #3: Learn to Cook.

Since starting South Beach I have learned how to really enjoy cooking. Watching a variety of cooking shows and incorporating their ideas using my South Beach approved foods was one way I found to survive the first phase of the program, since you can always find new and interesting ways to prepare and enjoy the foods I was permitted.

I couldnt believe when the two weeks were over. It seemed to go by so fast, and then I was allowed to start reintroducing some of my favorites again into my daily eating plan, like fresh fruit and bread (thank God!).

The best part was I no longer craved some of those no-no foods like cake, ice cream and even, yes, those diet buster cookies! And I managed to lose a whopping 12 pounds, a true triumph for someone like me who had never been able to follow any diet for longer than a day or two before!

Was starting the South Beach Diet difficult? Yes, in the first few days, but it sure was worth it!

Did you know that most people who dont complete the South Beach Diet Plan drop out because they cant make it through Phase 1? Want to avoid becoming a part of that statistic? Check out my South Beach Diet Plan Survival Kit over on HubPages, my South Beach Diet Plan Making it through Phase 1 page on Squidoo, and my South Beach Diet Plan review page on Rate-Diets.com. Arm yourself with the tools you need to succeed!

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How Much Weight Should I Gain During Pregnancy?

How much weight should I gain during pregnancy? That's the $64,000 question. Fortunately, unlike most things in life, there is a fairly simple answer to the question. A woman who is at her normal weight at the time of her pregnancy should gain an extra 25-35 pounds over the next nine months. A woman who is underweight should gain 30-40 pounds, and a woman who is overweight need only gain a recommended 15-25 pounds during her pregnancy.

If your expecting twins, add 10 more pounds to these numbers. Doctor's say to take in an extra 300 calories per day to achieve these weight gain goals. Now, of course, weight gain during pregnancy is not a straight line. The first trimester is very difficult for most women to gain weight in. Between the lethargy and nausea during this time, weight gain is not easy to achieve. In fact, statistics shoe that, on average, a woman of normal weight will only gain 4-6 pounds in their first trimester. After that, however, the average woman will gain about 1 pound a week for the remainder of her pregnancy. The weight breakdown for a woman who has gained 29 pounds is as follows:

Baby - 7.5 lbs,
Placenta - 1.5 lbs,
Amniotic Fluid - 2 lbs,
Womb - 2 lbs,
Breasts - 2 lbs,
Blood - 3 lbs,
Fat,Protein - 7 lbs,
Water - 4 lbs

Remember, this is a very natural process. Too often, women worry about gaining excessive weight during their pregnancy. The fact is that it is far better to gain too much weight than too little. And equally important, is to eat the right foods to gain the required weight. Avoid junk foods or the "empty calorie" foods.

Eat foods high in protein, folic acid, calcium and iron. A good pregnancy diet includes fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, dairy, and red meats. This coupled with a good pre-natal vitamin supplement and iron supplement, if your doctor suggests, and you will be well on your way to having a healthy baby, as well as keeping your weight gain under control.

I recently became a first-time mom at the age of 39. I was experiencing a lot of anxiety worrying about my age and the fact that I was having twins. I received all kinds of conflicting advice as to what I should and shouldn't do while pregnant. I finally decided to research for myself. With my doctors consent I followed a program of diet and exercise. Once I started, my anxiety went away, and I had a very comfortable, active and problem free pregnancy. I delivered two very healthy boys, and within just 7 weeks of delivery I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight and even better shape. I've posted my story along with pictures at Pregnant-Healthy.com

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